Oil gas generating apparatus



Feb. 4, 1936. a HA 2,029,774

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1933 4 Sheets-Sheet lINVENTOR. L E UNARD B.HARR/S BY & M w

W ATTORNEQI.

5- L. B. HARRIS OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1935 4Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

LEONARD B-HARR/S ATTORNEYS.

Feb. 4, 1936- L, B HARRIS 2,029,774

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1935 4 Sheet-Sheet s xwINVENTOR.

L EU/VARU B.HARR/5 B X? /w l ATTORNES Feb. 4-, 1 936. v B HARRIS2,029,774-

OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Filed March 24, 1953 4 Sheets-Shet 4 1NVENTOR L EUNARO B. HARE/5 Patented Feb. 4, 1936 UNITED STATES PATENTOFFICE OIL GAS GENERATING APPARATUS Application March 24, 1933, SerialNo. 662,485

5 Claims.

This invention relates to an improved Oil gas generator and process ofmanufacturing oil gas. One of the objects of the invention is togenerate high B. t. 11'. oil gas formed through the dissociation andrecombination of the elements of steam and hydrocarbon oil. Thisinvention is an improvement on my oil gas generator described in myapplication, Patent 1,957,535 of May 8, 1934.

The retorts disclosed in my prior application comprised tubular membershaving straight walls. By the present invention means are provided forcausing the vapors or gaseous materials in the re-. torts to besubjected to turbulence or increased agitation and to provide augmentedsurface contact for fixing the gases. For this purpose I haveincorporated in the walls of the retorts a series of parallel annularcorrugations all along the length of the retorts. The gases in theirtravel from the retorts are caused by the corrugations to flow inwave-like motion when adjacent the corrugated walls of the retorts andto flow in a steady stream when adjacent the straight walls of the innertubes. There are thus provided two streams of gas flowing in the sameoutward direction with unequal velocities which causes turbulence,intermixing and increased surface contact.

Spaced jets of steam as described in my prior application are disposedin a circular row and are directed so as to converge towards the centerof i the respective inner tubes. I find that more desirable results maybe obtained by providing jets of steam intermediate the converging jetsbut flowing in a direction parallel with the axis of the inner tubes andpositioned adjacent the inner surfaces of the inner tubes. Theconverging set of jets of steam causes intermixing of the steam with theoil while the parallel set of jets of steam adjacent the innersurfacesof the inner tubes act as conveying means for the atomized oil jet toprevent the oil jet from contacting with the walls of the inner tubesuntil the steam acquires a temperature high enough to-dissociate."

I have also found it desirable to cause a more uniform distribution ofthe products of combustion against the retorts all along their entirelength. For this purpose I have provided a cylindrical column ofrefractory material such as fire brick positioned in central relationwith the retorts and resting] on the base of the furnace.

The products of combustion in their flow upwards into the stack are inthis way constrained to circulate in the space formed by the refractorycolumn of brick and the peripheries of the retorts, thus providing auniform and concentrated application of intense heat all along the entirlength of the retorts.

An important contributing factor in the eiilciency of my oil gasgenerator is derived from operating the retorts intermittently toprovide short intervals of time for dissociating the steam into hydrogenand oxygen before the atomized oil spray is permitted to enter the innertubes, but instead of operating the retorts disclosed herewith in atimed sequence, I have provided means for operating all the retortssimultaneously as a unit and provide the necessary intervals duringwhich the steam is dissociated without hydrocarbon admission byproviding a common oil supply for the retorts and interrupting the flowof the oil to the retorts simultaneously and at predetermined periods.

By this invention there is introduced a continuous supply ofconvergingly directed jets of steam, disposed in a circular row andspaced apart, there is also introduced intermediate parallel jets ofsteam into respective inner tubes in each of a plurality of closedretorts which are subjected externally to a costant source of intenseheat. The steam being in direct contact with the heated walls of theretort tubes becomes superheated. The retorts are preferably made of ametal cone taining a high percentage of material such as nickel havingcatalytic properties. The steam travels downwards towards the lowerportion of the inner tubes and reaches a temperature of approximately1800 F. and-in the presence of the catalyst a major portion of thesteambecomes dissociated into free hydrogen and oxygen, thus providinghydrogen in the retorts that is available for combining with thehydrocarbon oil.

In carrying out this invention, the hydrocarbon oil supply isatomized-in a separate atomizing mechanism for each retort. Eachatomizer has a movable spindle. Oil is supplied from a common oil supplysuch as a pressure pump to a multiple distributing and regulatingapparatus. This distributing apparatus subdivides the oil flow equallyto all the atomizers and interrupts the circular rowsof jets of steam.Each atomized, 9

oil spray is introduced periodically or intermit tently into theretorts, thus preventing continudesired high temperature to be reached.

In each retort the parallel jets of steam surrounding the centralintermittent oil jet function as conveying means for the atomized oilflowing downward throughthe central portion of the inner tube of theretort and prevent the oil from coming in contact with the walls thereofuntil the steam reaches a temperature high enough to become dissociated,so that the formation of carbon on the walls of the retorts is avoided.

The converging jets of steam surrounding the oil are caused to issue ina conical direction so as to cause the steam to be projected across theoil. The thoroughly atomized oil and the superheated steam becomeintimately mixed.

The oil in the inner tubes of the retorts is subjected to an intenseheating by a heating medium that is applied externally of the retorts sothat it does not come into actual contact with the oil. The heat causesa suilicient temperature .rise .to crack the complex hydrocarbon oilinto lighter hydrocarbons. The cracked hydrocarbons combine with thehydrogen from the dissociated steam already present in the retorts andforms high B. t. u. oil gas in'the retorts intermittently, the retortsbeing operated simul-.

taneously. A continuous supply of high B. t. 11. oil gas may be takenfrom the generator as a whole.

With this general statement of the invention, the invention will behereinafter more particularly described, as well as the operation of apreferred form of apparatus in which the process may be carried out.

Reference will now be had to the drawings, wherein like numerals ofreference designate corresponding parts throughout the several views, in

. which Fig. 1 is a vertical section through an improved form ofapparatus comprising my high B. t. u. oil gas generator in combinationwith a gas scrubber shown partly in side elevation and partly in sectionattached to the oil gas generator.

' Fig. 2 is a plan view of the oil gas generating plant.

Fig. 3 is a horizontal section 3-3 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged sectional view of a retort and inner tube.

Fig. 5 is a vertical section through an inner tube, retort and atomizerpartly broken away.

Fig. 6 is a bottom view of a multiple-jet nozzle having converging andparallel steam passages.

Fig. '7 is a top view of the multiple-jet nozzle having convergmg andparallel steam passages.

Fig. 8 is a sectional view of the multiple-jet nozzle, the section beingtakenas on line 8-8 in taken as on line ous flow steam distributingapparatus in operative relation to two atomizers.

Fig. 10 is a plan view of the oil distributing ap-. paratus with thecoverremoved.

Fig. 11 is a plan view of the steam distributing apparatus with thecover removed.

In the illustrated embodiment of the invention, reference character Iindicates a metal container, preferably "circular in cross section, thatis lined on the inside with refractory material such as fire brick 2,and is lined at the top with refractory material 2'. The stack outletfrom the container I is lined with refractory material Fig. 9 is a sideelevation partly in section show-- ing the oil gas generator and anintermittent oil distributing apparatus together with a continu-2,029,774 ous chilling of the retorts and enabling the said 2". Thelower portion 3 of the container I represents the furnace or combustionchamber proper into which fuel can be introduced through the side wallsof the device by means of an oil burner 4 (Figs. 3 and 9) positioned intangential relation to the furnace. The top of the container I iscovered by means of a metal plate 5 that is provided with an outlet atthe center to which the stack 6 for waste products of combustion isconnected. A damper I is provided in the stack.

An annular header 8 made of high heat resisting metal containing a highpercentage of material such as nickel, for example, that will act as acatalyst, is mounted on the upper side of the cover 5 exteriorly of thefurnace and is secured to it by the bolts 9. The header 8 surrounds theopening through which waste products of combustion pass to the stack 6.A circular row of retorts I9, made of high heat resisting metal, whichmay contain a high percentage of nickel, for example, to act as acatalyst. The retorts I0 have their lower. ends closed. They depend fromthe cover 5 and have theirupper open ends extendingdnto the header 8. Acylindrical column II of refractory material is positioned on the baseof the container I within the row of retorts I 8 and terminates belowthe opening for the stack 6. An angular brick or refractory block I2 islocated on the base of the furnace 3 adjacent the oil burner 4.

Metal tubes I2 .made of high heat resisting metal, containing a veryhigh percentage of nickel or other catalystycorresponding in numbers andcenters to the retorts I0, having smaller external diameters than theinternal diameters of the retorts I0, extend through the header 8 andthrough the cover plate 5, almost to the bottom of the retorts I0, andhave their lower ends open. The upper ends of the tubes I2 are threadedand are screwed into threaded openings in the header 8, as shown inFigure 1. Lock nuts I4 clamp the tubes I 2, in place. Or, preferably,the tubes I2 are screwed into flanged glands 33, as shown in Figure '5,that are seated in the top of the header 8. v

Atoniizer's I5, to be described later, are located at the upper ends ofeach of the respective tubes I2. A pipe I6 (Fig'. 9) from a source ofwater (not shown) leads to a heating coil I1 that is located outside'ofthe lower endv of the stack 6.

A pipe I8 leads from the coil I! to a steam distributing device I9, tobe described later, and branch pipes leadfrom the steam distributor I9to the lower portions of the respective atomizers I5. An oildistributing device 2I, to be described later, is provided. .A pluralityof branch pipes 22 lead from the oil distributor 2I to the upperportions of the respective atomizers I5.

An oil gas outlet pipe 23 (Fig. 1) leads from the header 8 to a gasscrubber 24. The outer pe riphery of the scrubber 24 is partly brokenaway to show a water leve therein, as indicated by W. L. A valved branchpipe 25 is connected to the pipe 23 and a branch pipe 26 leads into asump 21 that contains liquid of sufiicient depth to seal the lower endof the branch pipe 26. A valve 28 serves to admit water to a spray-ingdevice 29 so that water is distributed over the entire area of thescrubber 24. A pipe 30 for -washed gas leads to a gas main or place ofconsumption of the gas (not shown).

Each one of the atomizers I5 (Figs. 5 to '7) at the upper ends of thetubes, I2 comprises a body portion 3| having a flange 32 that rests uponthe upper end of the tube I 2. A threaded thimble A multiple-jet nozzle31 having a circular series of spaced holes 38 arranged in inclined andconverging conical formation therethrough is screwed upon the lowerthreaded end of the body portion 3| of the atomizer so that the holes 38communicate with the annular space 36. Intermediate the inclined holes38 is a circular series of parallel holes 38 (Figs. 6, '7, and 8).

A central hole 39 for oil extends through the body portion 3| and aconically shaped valve seat 40 is provided at the bottom. An atomizerspindle 4| with a conically shaped lower end to form a valve is locatedin the hole 39. A head piece 42 is threaded upon the upper end of thebody portion 3| and is provided with a central opening through whichthespindle 4| extends. A hole 43 is provided in one side of the headpiece 42 for the oil pipe 22. A flexible diaphragm 44 is clamped to thespindle 4| by threaded nuts 44 and 44" on opposite sides of thediaphragm. The peripheral circumferential edge of the diaphragm 44 isclamped in place against a shoulder in the head piece 42 by means of ahollow threaded nut 45 screwed into the internally threaded recess 46 inthe head piece 42. A compression spring 41 is interposed between the topof the hollow nut 45 and the upper nut on the spindle 4|, tending tokeep the valve 48 closed. The hole 43 enters an annular space 43 in thehead piece 42 below the diaphragm 44, so that oil under pressureentering through the pipe 22 will cause the diaphragm 44 to moveupwardly sothat the atomizer spindle 4| will rise and its lower end willbe lifted off of its seat 40 when the oil is forced in through the pipe22. Oil may be intermittently forced into all of the atomizers duringthe same periods of time.

The retorts Ill may be provided with a plurality of annular corrugations58 (Fig. 4) substantially all along their entire lengths. Each innertube I2 extends downwardly within a retort l and stops short of theclosed lower end of the retort and forms about itself an upward passage53 for the hydrocarbon vapors. These vapors pass upwardly through theelongated annular spaces 53 that are formed between the retort l0 andthe inner tubes l2. The gases in their upward travel in the retorts ||lare caused by the corrugations 50 to flow in an unsteady wave-likestream adjacent the corrugations and to flow in a steady stream adjacentthe straight walls of the inner tubes |2.'i There are thus providedstreams of gases flowing in the same outward direction with unequalvelocities, thus causing agitation or turbulence, intermixing of thegases and increased contact with solid surfaces.

' The lower end portion and the upper end portion 52 of the retort IDare straight. The straight lower end portion 5| allows the outwardlyflowing gases from the inner tube |2- to reverse their direction ofmotion freely. The straight upper end portion 52 of each retort I0 isprovided with a conical enlargement 54, preferably tapering at an angleof approximately thirty degrees to its axis, these conical enlargementsbeing designed to seat in respective conical seats 56, in the coverplate 5.

'As shown in Figs. 9 and 11, the steam distributor l3 comprises a.stationary housing 65, having a circular series of apertures 66corresponding to the number of retorts l0, and a disk member 51 havingapertures 68 of the same diameter and spacedin the same circumference asthe apertures 66 in the housing. The disk member 61 is fixedly mountedon a shaft 69 which may be given a limited rotary displacement by meansof a crank handle "ill to cause a variation in the alignment of theapertures 68 and 55. in the disk member and in the housing and thusregulate the quantities of steam entering the branch pipes 20 and theretorts Ill. The steamentering the steam distributor I!) through thesingle inlet passes through the apertures 68 in regulated quantities andfinally passes through the holes 38 and'38 in the multiple-jet nozzles31 into the retorts ID in a circular series of small continuousconverging jets and intermediate parallel jets.

As shown in Figs. 9 and 10, the oil distributing device 2| comprises astationary housing 59 having a circular series of apertures 60corresponding to the number of retorts l0 and a disk member 6| having anequal number of apertures 62 of the same diameter and spaced in the samecircumference as the apertures 68 in the housing. The disk member 5| isfixedly mounted on a revoluble shaft 5'| that may be rotated by suitablemeans-63. When the shaft 51 is rotated the oil supplied under pressureby the pump 49 enters the oil distributor 2| through a single inlet 54and passes through the apertures 62 in the disk 6| and the apertures 60in housing 59 and is injected simultaneously into all the pipes 22 andinto all atomizers l5 in intermittent streams depending on the speed ofthe shaft 51. i i

The refractory material 2' (Fig. 1) at the top of the containerinsulates the plate 5 which constitutes the lower surface of the header8.

Also that the refractory material 2" around the stack outlet 6 insulatesthe annular portion of the header adjacent the stack outlet. Theprovision of these insulating materials and the placing of the header 8entirely outside the furnace provides effective means for preventingexposure of the portion of the inner tube l2 passing through the header8 to direct heat from the furnace gases and for preventing preheatingand premature cracking of the oil that is injected into the inner tubesl2. s

The operation is as follows:

The oil gas generator I is heated by combustion of fuel from the oilburner 4 and'the hot products of combustion circulate around thecylindrical refractory column H and contact with the angular brick orblock I2 on the base of the furnace and rise above the oil burner 4 in aspiral path. The oil burner being in tangential relation to thecylindrical column causes the products of combustion in their upwardflow to the stack fi to circulate in a spiral path in the space formedbetween the column H and the peripheries of the retorts l0 and causes amore nearly uniform and a more concentratedapplication of intense heatall along the entire length of the retorts. Water passes into theheating coil where steam is generated and the steam passes into thesteam distributor l9 which subdivides the steam supply equally to thebranch pipes 20 finally passing through the series of henverging holes38 (Fig. 5) in the multiple-jet 'nozzle 31 as small continuous jets ofsteam means 48 through the branch pipes 22 into the atomizers '15 belowthe diaphragms 44, thereby causing the diaphragms to move slightly dueto the fluid pressure at each'impulse through the superheated steam andoil become intimately mixed. The jets of steam passing through the holes38' parallel to the inside walls of the tubes l2 prevent the oil fromcontacting with the hot solid surfaces and depositing carbon thereon.The vaporous mixture continues farther down to the lower end of theinner tube l2, where in the presence of the catalyst the steam becomesheated to a sufficiently high temperature of about 1800 F. to causedissociation of the major portion thereof into free hydrogen and oxygenand reaction takes place between this hydrogen and hydrocarbons of theoil, thereby generating high B. t. u. oil gas. This gas passesintermittently out of the lower ends of the respective inner tubes l2into the annular spaces '53 between the corrugated retorts land innertubes l2 where the gas is subjected to turbulence and prolonged surfacecontact, and thence passes as a continuous supply of high B. t. u. oilgas from the generator as a whole through the common header 8 and theoutlet pipe 23 into the gas scrubber; 24 and finally to the gas mains.

I claim:

1. An oil gas generating apparatus comprising a furnace having an exitfor waste gases at its upper portion, a header outside of said furnacethrough which said exit passes, a plurality of retorts around said exitopening into said header and extending into said furnace and havingtheir lower ends closed; a plurality of tubes extending respectivelyinto said retorts and stopping short of their closed ends, a multiplejet nozzle having a circular row of openings positioned at one end ofeach of said inner tubes and adapted I Y to introduce a circular row ofjets of steam into each one of said tubes, and individual atomizersadapted to introduce oil within each of said cir- I cular rows of jets,a portion of said nozzle openings being positioned so as to cause steamjets to project longitudinally adjacent the inner walls of said tubes toshield the same and prevent contact thereof with said oil, and anotherportion of said nozzle openings being positioned to cause convergingsteam jets to be projected lntermediate said longitudinal steam jets,and an oil distributing device for introducing an intermittent stream ofoil into each of said atomizing devices 2. An apparatus as defined inclaim 1 wherein the inner tube surfaces are straight and the retorts areprovided with parallel annular corrugations along their lengths to causeturbulence and intermixing of the different flowing gases generated inthe retorts, said corrugations being exposed to said waste gases.

3. An apparatus as defined in claim 1 wherein a fuel burner ispositioned in tangential relation to the furnace and extends into saidfurnace and a refractory column is located in central relation withrespect to the retorts and terminates below the furnace stack opening,and an inclined refractory member is positioned in the furnace inposition to be struck by fuel entering from said fuel burner.

4. An oil gas generating apparatus comprising a furnace having an exitfor waste gases, a header located outside of said furnace, a pluralityof retorts disposed in said header and extending into said furnace andhaving their lower ends closed, a plurality of tubes secured to theouter wall of said header and respectively extending into said retortsand having open ends stopping short of the closed ends of said retorts,a multiple-jet nozzle having a circular row of openings and beingpositioned at the header end of each of said inner tubes for introducinga continuous supply of jets of steam ina concentric row into said tubes,a portion of said nozzle openings being positioned to cause steam jetsin said circular 7 row to be projected longitudinally adjacent the innerwalls of the tubes to shield and prevent contact thereof with said oil,and another portion of said nozzle openings. being positioned to causeconverging steam jets to be projected intermediate the said longitudinaljets, a movable spindle atomizing apparatus located along the axial lineof each of said inner tubes for introducing oil intosaid inner tubes,and an oil distributing a paratus for introducing an intermittent streamof oil into each of said atomizers in predetermined quantities forsupplying oil to all of said retorts simultaneously and at predeterminedperiods.

5. An apparatus as defined in claim 4 in which each of said retorts iscorrugated, said corrugations terminating short of the inner ends ofsaid tubes and being exposed to said furnace gases.

LEONARD B. HARRIS.

